Flex wing apparatus with resilient couplings

Abstract

A flex wing apparatus comprising a support, a mast coupled to the support and a sail. Battens are carried by the sail, and a coupling arrangement joins the leading edge of the battens to the mast so that the sail and battens can pivot about the mast. The battens can be resiliently deformed varying magnitudes to induce the desired camber into the battens and the sail. The coupling arrangement includes couplings each of which includes a collar and a pair of resilient legs.

I claim: 
     
       1. A flex wing apparatus comprising: a support;   a mast coupled to the support and projecting therefrom;   a sail of flexible material, said sail having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a luff sleeve at the leading edge for receiving the mast;   a plurality of resilient battens, each of said battens having leading and trailing ends;   batten pockets on the sail for carrying the battens, respectively, with the battens extending toward the leading edge of the sail, at least one of said batten pockets having a forward end which is closed sufficiently to retain the leading end of the batten therein against forward movement;   coupling means for coupling the battens to the mast for pivotal movement of the battens and sail about the mast;   said coupling means including a plurality of couplings within said luff sleeve, each of said couplings having a collar at least partially surrounding the mast and rotatable about the mast and at least one resilient legs coupled to said collar;   said coupling means including coupling pockets on the sail for respectively receiving said legs and coupling said legs to the sail with the legs being adjacent associated battens and for resisting forward movement of the battens; and   means for resiliently deforming the battens varying magnitudes to induce the desired camber into the battens and the sail.   
     
     
       2. A flex wing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said leg of each of said couplings is a first leg, at least one of said couplings includes a second resilient leg with said first and second legs of said one coupling being on opposite sides of the associated batten, said forward ends of said batten pockets holding the leading ends of the associated battens spaced from said collar of the associated couplings. 
     
     
       3. A flex wing apparatus comprising: a support;   a mast coupled to the support and projecting therefrom;   a sail of flexible material, said sail having a leading edge and a trailing edge;   a plurality of resilient battens;   means on the sail for carrying the battens with the battens extending toward the leading edge of the sail;   coupling means for coupling the battens to the mast for pivotal movement of the battens and sail about the mast;   said coupling means including a plurality of couplings, each of said couplings having a collar at least partially surrounding and rotatable about the mast and at least one resilient leg coupled to said collar, said coupling means including coupling pockets on the sail adjacent associated battens for receiving said legs, respectively; and   means for resiliently deforming the battens varying magnitudes to induce the desired camber into the battens and the sail.   
     
     
       4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said sail has a sleeve at its leading edge and said sleeve receives at least a portion of said mast and said coupling means. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said support includes a buoyant structure capable of floating on water. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the batten carrying means holds the leading ends of the battens spaced from said collars of the associated couplings. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said leg of each of said couplings is a first leg, at least one of said couplings includes a second resilient leg with said first and second legs of said one coupling being on opposite sides of the associated batten.